Picking device and method for retrieving drug compositions from storage

ABSTRACT

A picking device for dispensing drug combinations arranged in storage vessels is provided. A storage device includes multiple storage locations for storage vessels, and an operating device is coupled to a controller. A stocking device moves storage vessels into the storage device, and an unloading device transfers drug combinations arranged in the storage vessels to a transport device.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/666,109, entitled “PICKING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RETRIEVING DRUGCOMPOSITIONS FROM STORAGE,” filed on Aug. 1, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No.10,431,035, issued on Oct. 1, 2019, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a picking device for dispensing drugcombinations, and in particular to a picking device for dispensing drugcombinations arranged in storage vessels.

Automated picking devices are frequently used in pharmacies to storedrug packages in a manner which saves space and which enables rapiddispensing. The drug packages are chaotically stored in the knownpicking devices which are particularly suitable for pharmacies. Thismeans that the drug packs are stored not in predetermined storagelocations in the device, but rather in storage locations where there issufficient space at the moment. The picking devices operating accordingto the principle of chaotic storage are limited to a special type ofdrug packs suitable for the operating devices and for the storage spacesused in the picking devices. However, sometimes a patient is to beprescribed patient-specific drug combinations that include a preciselypredetermined number of drugs of certain types, which are compiled byauthorized personnel in a pharmacy, for example, and are subsequentlyplaced in storage pouches until collected by a patient. Sincepatient-specific drug combinations are prepared for each patient, it isessential in such a system that a storage pouch clearly represents thedrug combination placed in the same pouch, and that there is a linkbetween the storage pouch and the drug combination. For this purpose, acorresponding identifier (e.g., a barcode) is affixed to the storagepouches. However, such a system is mechanically complex, and thismechanical complexity results in low dispensing speeds and increasedmaintenance efforts.

SUMMARY

In one or more embodiments, a picking device for dispensing drugcombinations arranged in storage vessels includes a control device, astorage device and a stocking device configured to move the storagevessels into the storage device. The picking device also includes anoperating device configured to remove the storage vessels from thestocking device and an identifying device for identifying the drugcombinations. The picking device further includes a delivery station anda transport device configured to transfer drug combinations from thestorage device to the delivery station. One or more of the stockingdevice, the operating device, the identifying device, the deliverstation and the transport device are coupled to the control device.

In one or more embodiments, a method for retrieving drugs in a pickingdevice includes identifying a drug combination to be retrieved andmoving an operating device to a storage location assigned to theidentified drug combination. The method further includes gripping, bythe operating device, a storage vessel containing the drug combinationand transferring the storage vessel to an unloading device. The methodalso includes emptying the drug combination from the storage vessel ontoa transport device and transporting, by the transport device, the drugcombination to a removal location of a delivery station. The methodfurther includes clearing the removal location of the drug combinationupon instructions from a control device coupled to the delivery station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The device according to the present disclosure and the method accordingto the present disclosure are described in greater detail below, withreference to the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of one or more embodiments of a picking device;

FIG. 2 is a top view of one or more embodiments of a picking device;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the interior of a storage device;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the storage device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of storage device in combination with anunloading device and a transport device;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the storage device combination of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the storage device combination of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an unloading device/transport devicetransition region;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a combination unloading device/vesselcollection device;

FIGS. 10a and 10b are perspective partial views of the unloading deviceof FIG. 9;

FIG. 11a is a side partial view of the unloading device/vesselcollection device of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11b is a front partial view of the unloading device/vesselcollection device of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11c is a perspective partial view of the unloading device/vesselcollection device of FIG. 9;

FIGS. 12a and 12b are top plan views of the unloading device of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13a illustrates multiple views of a storage vessel with a basesurface that can open;

FIGS. 13b and 13c are schematic views of the storage vessel in FIG. 13aduring a filling process and an unloading process;

FIGS. 14a, 14b, 15a and 15b are schematic views of a gravity unloadingstation at various stages of an unloading process;

FIG. 16 is a front view of a delivery station; and

FIGS. 17a-17c are side views of the delivery station of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides a picking device for dispensing drugcombinations arranged in storage vessels.

In the scope of this application, the term “drug combination” alwaysrefers to the plural as well. Therefore, where a “drug combination” ismentioned, this can also mean several drug combinations (to the extentthat this makes sense in the context).

One or more embodiments provide a controller for a commissioning devicewith horizontal storage surfaces for storing piece goods. Manycontrollers have numerous components which are necessary to execute thepivoting motion, which leads to high costs for the controller.Furthermore, the design of the guide and the translation of a rotationalmotion of a drive into the pivoting motion of the clamping jaws limitthe jaws to exert only a limited clamping force onto piece goods to beretrieved. Medicinal packages are changing is size, and an increasingnumber of medicinal packages with larger dimensions and higher weightsare appearing on the market such that increased clamping force hasbecome desirable.

In some embodiments described herein, the controller includes a deliverytable extending in a first horizontal direction, the delivery tablehaving a storage end and a retrieval end, two elongated clamping jawsdisposed above the delivery table and comprising clamping surfacesfacing one another, and a clamping jaw guide apparatus. The clamping jawguide apparatus includes a frame structure and at least one first andone second guide that are parallel and apart from one another in thefirst horizontal direction and extend in a second horizontal directionperpendicular to the first horizontal direction. The clamping jaw guideapparatus also includes at least four clamping jaw carriages coupled tothe guides and driven in the second horizontal direction, wherein twofirst clamping jaw carriages are associated with the first guide and twosecond clamping jaw carriages are associated with the second guide,respectively, and wherein at least two clamping jaw carriages separatedfrom one another in the first horizontal direction are coupled to asingle clamping jaw, respectively. The controller further includes aguide apparatus drive unit coupled to the clamping jaw guide apparatus,the guide apparatus drive unit configured to drive the clamping jawguide apparatus in the first horizontal direction.

One or more disclosed embodiments provide a controller having a deliverytable, a plurality of elongated clamping jaws disposed above thedelivery table, and a clamping jaw guide apparatus. The clamping jawguide apparatus includes a frame structure, a plurality of guidesdisposed in parallel with the frame structure, and a plurality ofclamping jaw carriages coupled to the plurality of guides, the pluralityof clamping jaw carriages configured to be driven in parallel with theframe structure. Each of the plurality of guides is associated with oneor more of the plurality of clamping jaw carriages and at least two ofthe plurality of clamping jaw carriages are coupled to each of theplurality of clamping jaws. The controller also includes a guideapparatus drive unit coupled to the clamping jaw guide apparatus, thedrive unit configured to drive the clamping jaw guide apparatus alongthe delivery table. First clamping jaw carriages are associated with thefirst guide and second clamping jaw carriages are associated with thesecond guide. At least two of the plurality of clamping jaw carriagesare coupled to one of the clamping jaws and are separated from oneanother in the first direction.

One or more disclosed embodiments provide a commissioning devicecontroller having a delivery table elongated in a first direction, twoclamping jaws disposed above the delivery table, a guide apparatus driveunit, and a clamping jaw guide apparatus coupled to the guide apparatusdrive unit. The guide apparatus drive unit is configured to drive theclamping jaw guide apparatus in the first direction. The clamping jawguide apparatus includes a frame structure, first and second guidesdisposed in parallel and apart from one another along the firstdirection, and extending in a second direction perpendicular to thefirst direction, and a plurality of clamping jaw carriages coupled tothe first and second guides and configured to be moveable in the seconddirection.

For example, a picking device may include at least one storage devicewith a plurality of storage locations for storage vessels, an operatingdevice which can be moved horizontally and vertically in front of therow of shelves and is coupled to a control device, at least one stockingdevice used to move storage vessels for drug combinations into thestorage device, wherein the operating device can remove storage vesselsfrom said stocking device, and at least one first identifying device foridentifying drug combinations. The above-mentioned components of thepicking device form the central storage area for the storage vesselsholding drug combinations. The device described above can correspond tostorage devices already known from the prior art as far as theaforementioned features are concerned.

The storage locations may be furnished, by way of example, by at leastone row of shelves with a plurality of shelves arranged one above theother, each extending in a plane, wherein the storage locations areformed on the shelves. The storage locations may also be provided bysimple struts, wherein a storage vessel is typically held by two struts.Depending on the requirements for warehousing and disposal, the twoaforementioned ways of furnishing storage locations may also becombined. In the following, it is assumed that the storage locations arefurnished by shelves.

The storage device of the picking device further includes an unloadingdevice, with which drug combinations arranged in storage vessels aretransferred to a transport device coupled to the control device.

In the picking device, drugs are not stored in drug packs directly onthe shelves. Instead, drug combinations, for example in pouches orbottles, which in turn can be placed in pouches, are arranged in storagevessels, which in turn are stored in the storage locations. Theaforementioned unloading device serves to transfer the drug combinationsarranged in the storage vessels to a transport device.

For the delivery of the drug combinations to a user, the picking devicemay include at least one delivery station coupled to the control device,in each case having a removal location and a user interface forcommunication with a user. The drug combinations may be transferred fromthe unloading device to the transport device, and the transport deviceconnects the storage device to each delivery station in such a mannerthat that drug combinations may be conveyed to each delivery station.

The picking device may include a central storage device in which areliable and mature technology is used. By combining the at leastpartially known storage device with an unloading device, a transportdevice, and at least one delivery station, it is possible to provide,based on known and proven storage technology, a picking device which issuitable for dispensing drug combinations compiled individually for eachpatient, and which is also kept constructively simple, requires littlemaintenance, and can dispense a plurality of drug combinations per unitof time.

Because the at least one delivery station includes a user interface, thepicking device may dispense the drug combinations, customized toindividual patients, to different types of users. By way of example, thedrug combinations may be delivered to a “qualified user,” which in thecontext of the present disclosure means a user who is permitted todispense medicinal products to patients in accordance with theregulations of the country in which the device is used.

At a different delivery station, the patient himself/herself,hereinafter referred to as a “simple user,” may initiate the dispensingof a drug combination. The aforementioned users may authenticatethemselves through the user interface, wherein the necessary steps forthe authentication may depend on the type of user.

For the case of a simple user, it may be necessary for the user to beidentified via the user interface (e.g., by presenting an identity card)and to pay for the delivered drug combination (e.g., by inserting acredit card). Whereas, for a qualified user it may be sufficient thatthe user identifies himself/herself via a personnel number stored in thecontrol device, wherein the payment process for the drug combination canbe performed at another location (e.g., in a pharmacy). With the pickingdevice, it is also possible to combine different types of delivery. Oneor more embodiments may include, for example, two delivery stations,wherein one is operated by a qualified user, while the other can be usedby a simple user (e.g., the patient).

In contrast to some picking devices, in the picking device according tothe disclosure, only drug combinations, and no drug packs, are stored instorage vessels in the storage device. Here, to remove the drugcombinations from these storage vessels, the picking device may includean unloading device that transfers the drug combinations from thestorage vessels to the transport device.

Typically, rectangular drug packs are stored in the known pickingdevices. So as to be able to accommodate the known and proven technologyat least partially, the storage vessels of the picking device accordingto the invention are also preferably rectangular in form, at least inthe operating device gripping area. That is, the stocking and retrievalof storage vessels may be performed similarly to the known stocking andretrieval of drug packs. Thus, a comprehensive adaptation of the storagedevice with respect to the storage itself is not required.

Depending on the drug combinations to be stocked, storage vessels ofdifferent sizes may be used. If storage vessels of different sizes areused, it may be necessary to report to the picking device which vesselsize is used for a drug combination. This information may be necessaryfor the correct choice of the storage site and storage location, and forthe ability to accordingly control the operating device.

To provide this information, the operating personnel performing thestocking may input a special identifier for a storage vessel being usedfor each drug combination, wherein exact dimensions of the storagevessel being used may be assigned to these identifiers. It is alsopossible to specify the type and/or size of the storage vessel as partof an identifier (e.g., a bar code) on the drug combinations.Furthermore (or additionally), it is possible to measure the storagevessel during the stocking operation, although this may be relativelycomplicated depending on the exact design of the storage vessels.

To ensure a smooth and rapid transfer of the storage vessels to theunloading device, in one or more embodiments the unloading device mayinclude a vessel receptacle designed to correspond to a storage locationand/or adaptable to the same, such that storage vessels may betransferred to the vessel receptacle by “conventional stockingmovements” of the operating device. The term, “conventional stockingmovements” in this context is used to mean those which the operatingdevice executes to move storage vessels from and to storage locations,and from the stocking device. In one or more embodiments, no structuraladaptation of the operating device may be necessary for the transfer ofstorage vessels to the unloading device, such that it is possible torely on known operating devices. This in turn further reduces themaintenance requirements for the picking device as a whole.

In one or more embodiments, the drug combination(s) arranged in astorage vessel may be transferred from the unloading device to thetransport device. For this purpose, the unloading device may have, forexample, a gripper which removes the drug combinations from the storagevessel and transfers them to the transport device.

However, the use of a gripper is structurally complex and in turnincreases the maintenance burden. In one or more embodiments, therefore,the unloading station may be a gravity unloading station of which drugcombinations arranged in storage vessels may be transferred to thetransport device at a receiving location via a discharge opening of astorage vessel. The term “gravity unloading station” is used to mean anyunloading station where the drug combinations move out of the storagevessel via a discharge opening of the storage vessels by means ofgravity.

This can be achieved, for example, by the storage vessel in theunloading station being rotated 180° in such a manner that a dischargeopening which points upwards when in the storage state points downward,and the drug combinations fall out of the storage vessel. The storagevessel may also have a releasable base region which is temporarilyopened for transferring the drug combinations to the transport device.In order to avoid slippage of clamping jaws against piece goods as theyare retrieved, in one or more embodiments at least one section of theclamping surfaces of the clamping jaws includes a non-slip material. Forexample, either the jaw is made of such a non-slip material or the jawis coated, at least in sections, with a non-slip material.

Occasionally, the drug combinations in the storage vessel may beslightly wedged. In order to facilitate gravity-induced unloading insuch a case, in one or more embodiments the unloading device may bedesigned as a tipping station which may tip drug combinations arrangedin storage vessels at a receiving location onto the transport device.During the unloading of the storage vessels, the tipping movement may behalted suddenly by a stop and the kinetic energy of the drugcombinations may overcome the wedging. Occasionally, it may also happenthat the tipping movement is not sufficient to remove drug combinationsfrom a storage vessel. In order to (further) facilitate the removal ofthe drug combinations from storage vessels, whether in cases where thereis a tipping station or where there is an unloading station with adifferent design, in one or more embodiments the unloading station mayinclude an ejection device which ejects drug combinations arranged instorage vessels via the discharge opening of a storage vessel onto thetransport device.

The ejection device may be designed in such a way that the drugcombinations are ejected by an ejector that is moved through an openingin a storage vessel. In one or more embodiments, the ejection device mayhave a compressed air nozzle, and the drug combinations may be moved outof the storage vessels by compressed air.

Typically, the storage device of the picking device may be rectangularin form, with two parallel rows of shelves forming an alley between themin which the operating device may be moved horizontally and vertically.In order to avoid the need to guide the transport device into thestorage device, which would, inter alia, result in a reduction in thestorage capacity of the storage device, in one or more embodiments theunloading device may have a movable vessel receptacle that collectsstorage vessels which will be emptied, and which are in a park position,and moves the same to an emptying position. In an unloading devicedesigned accordingly, it is possible, for example, that the transportdevice is constructed at least partially as a horizontal conveyor beltparallel to one of the sides of the storage device. In the parkposition, which is comparable to a storage location, a storage vesselmay be collected by the movable vessel receptacle and/or transferred bythe operating device to the vessel receptacle, and then moves with themovable vessel receptacle into an emptying position where drugcombinations arranged in storage vessels are transferred to thetransport device (e.g., by the storage vessel being tipped).

If a movable vessel receptacle is used, moreover, the vessel receptaclemay have a retaining device through which storage vessels may be held ina temporary manner allowing later detachment. Such a retaining deviceprevents the storage vessel from slipping during transport and theemptying can be carried out more easily.

After the storage vessels are emptied, they may be collected again bythe operating device and returned to a free storage location of thestorage device. However, this approach wastes valuable storage space. Assuch, in one or more embodiments of the picking device, the unloadingdevice may be associated with a vessel collection device that collectsstorage vessels emptied at the unloading device. Storage of emptystorage vessels in storage locations of the storage device is thusavoided and more storage vessels containing drug combinations may beheld in the storage device. The vessel collection device may beconstructed outside of the storage device.

The manner in which the emptied storage vessels are transferred from theunloading device to the vessel collection device depends on theirarrangement inside the picking device. To make it possible to performthe transfer of the emptied collection vessels from the unloading deviceto the vessel collection device particularly rapidly, the vesselcollection device may be arranged below a section of the unloadingdevice in such a manner that emptied storage vessels may be conveyed tothe vessel collection device by releasing the retaining device. Once thestorage tank has been emptied (e.g., by tipping), the retaining devicemay be released at a designated transfer location and the storage vesselmay be conveyed by gravity to the vessel collection device. For thispurpose, the vessel collection device may be constructed, by way ofexample, vertically, and arranged directly below a base opening of theunloading device with a corresponding design. In a correspondingembodiment, the unloading device may have a section that is arrangedoutside of the storage device, wherein a receiving section of the vesselcollection device for storage vessels may be arranged below thatsection.

In order to allow the user to easily remove the emptied storage vesselsfrom the vessel collection device, the vessel collection device may havean access opening accessible from outside the storage device.

The picking device may have at least one delivery station via which thedrug combinations may be delivered to a user. For this purpose, astorage vessel which contains the drug combination to be retrieved maybe emptied at the unloading device, and the drug combination may betransported by the transport device to a delivery station andtransferred to the user. To enable a particularly rapid dispensing of adrug combination, the picking device may have in the storage device andin addition to the at least one delivery station, a discharge devicewhich is arranged at least partially within the radius of action of theoperating device, and which is accessible from outside the storagedevice. By way of example, a qualified user, such as a pharmacist, mayrequest a retrieval of a storage vessel, with its drug combination, viaa corresponding delivery device in order to pass the drug combination toa waiting customer. For this purpose, a storage vessel containing a drugcombination to be retrieved may be transferred to a section of thedelivery device when the same is positioned in the radius of action ofthe operating device, and may be conveyed to an access area of the user.Such a delivery device may, for example, be designed as a simple slide.

As set forth above, the picking device may include a vessel collectiondevice for receiving emptied storage vessels. Alternatively oradditionally, the picking device may have a vessel provision device,accessible from outside the storage device, for emptied storage vessels.For example, this vessel provision device may be a type of slide onwhich storage vessels emptied by the operating device are placed, andwhich are then conveyed to a removal location of the vessel provisiondevice. In a corresponding picking device, the emptied storage vesselsmay thus be furnished for reuse immediately after emptying, therebyreducing the number of the storage vessels in circulation. A section ofthe vessel provision device may be arranged in such a manner that emptystorage vessels may be fed directly to this section by the unloadingdevice.

The picking device may have at least one delivery station with a removallocation as well as a user interface. In order for a drug to bedispensed via the delivery station, user authentication may be required.The manner of authentication in this case, as described above, dependson whether the user is a qualified user or a simple user. Here, thepicking device may be operated both by a qualified user and by a simpleuser. For this purpose, the picking device may have at least twodelivery stations that are suitable for different types of access ofdifferent users. The two delivery stations may be identical in design,with only different authentication procedures being required. In thecase of a qualified user, for example, it may be sufficient for the userto authenticate only once within a predetermined time interval.

However, the two delivery stations may also be adapted to the type ofuser, such that one delivery station may be operated by a qualified useronly, whereas the second delivery station may be configured such that asimple user can operate it as well. Which user can operate a deliverystation may be determined by a special configuration and/or design ofthe user interface.

In known picking devices, the delivery of drugs, whether in the form ofdrug combinations or drug packs, is only possible if a user can enterthe premises where the picking device is housed. However, such arestriction of the possibility of removal of medicinal products does notsatisfy the access criteria of a modern user. In one or more embodimentsof the picking device, the picking device therefore may include adelivery station that is operable from outside a building in which thestorage device is arranged. A corresponding delivery station may then,for example, be designed as a so-called “drive-through station” in whicha user pulls up with a motor vehicle, identifies himself/herself at thedelivery station, and after successful completion of the fullauthentication procedure, receives a drug combination. If a transfer ofmedicinal products in a certain country requires personal contact with aqualified user (e.g., a pharmacist), an accordingly designed deliverystation may also have communication systems via which the qualified usermay inform the simple user, who is picking up the drugs, of the risksand side effects of the drugs, by way of example.

As set forth above, the picking device may include a vessel provisiondevice for empty storage vessels. In the case of storage devices withhigh storage capacity, it happens regularly that drug combinations arenot retrieved within a certain time period because they are not pickedup by a user for whom they were compiled. Thus, the picking device maytherefore have a vessel delivery device for storage vessels with overduedrug combinations. An operator of the picking device may freelydetermine when a drug combination is to be considered “overdue.” Forexample, if a four-week period is specified, the picking device mayautomatically transfer all drug combinations that have been stored inthe storage device for more than four weeks, along with the storagevessels, to the vessel delivery device for overdue drug combinations.

The picking device may have a first identification device by which drugcombinations are identified prior to stocking. This first identifyingdevice may be functionally assigned to the stocking device, andautomatically identify all of the drug combinations transferred to thestocking device, specifically by an identifier assigned to the drugcombination. An identifier may be, for example, a barcode. Theinformation which an identifier includes depends, inter alia, oncountry-specific requirements, the merchandise management system, etc.

In one or more embodiments of the picking device, a secondidentification device may be included by which drug combinations may beidentified prior to the emptying of the storage vessels in the unloadingdevice. The provision of the second identifier increases security asregards the dispensed drug combinations. For the stocking of a drugcombination, the same is assigned an empty storage location by thecontrol device. This means that a link is established between a storagelocation and a drug combination, such that the control device knows atall times which drug combination is arranged at which storage location.The nature of the drug combination is normally not relevant for theselection of the storage location as a drug combination and/or thecorresponding storage vessel is stored inside the storage device wherethere is space. The stocking of the storage vessels is thus carried outaccording to the principles of dynamic or chaotic storage. Optionally,certain storage locations may be preferred due to their proximity to theunloading device. If the storage device includes a special storagelocation for drug combinations which must be cooled, this may be takeninto account during the stocking.

In exceptional cases, there may be a malfunction of the storage device,when an operator is forced to enter the storage device to correct themalfunction. It may happen in such cases that the operator moves one ormultiple storage vessels, such that they are moved to the “wrong”storage location. A “wrong” storage location in this case is one whichthe control device has not linked to a drug combination. In such a case,a storage location A where the control device expects to find a drugcombination X1 may come to contain a drug combination X2 as a result ofthe intervention of the operating personnel. When the drug combinationX1 is requested from storage location A, the drug combination X2 wouldthen be retrieved. Here, there may be another identification prior tothe emptying, such that it is possible to compare whether the drugcombination which should be situated in the storage location is actuallyin the storage location. Although the error rate of the storage devicedescribed here is extremely low, such a verification may be particularlyuseful when highly sensitive drug combinations are stored.

A method for retrieving drug combinations arranged in a picking devicein storage vessels is also provided.

A drug combination to be retrieved may be identified by a user providinguniquely identifying identification data for a drug combination to beretrieved, and by the storage location inside the picking device beingdetermined.

The nature of the identification data may depend on the precise processcontrol, country-specific requirements, and optionally the merchandisemanagement system which is used to operate the picking device. By way ofexample, if a simple user uses the picking device to retrieve a drugcombination, the characteristics may include, among other things, thename of the user and/or a personal number uniquely identifying him/her(e.g., a social security number). An identification document may also bescanned to furnish the identification data. In addition to personaldata, the identification data may also include precise information aboutthe drug combination as such (e.g., a unique index number or the like).A prescription or the like may also be read in to furnish theidentification data, or that data may be read in from a customer card,or a pin code may be requested, or a bar code may be scanned, forexample.

After the drug combination is identified, an operating device may bemoved to a storage location assigned to the drug to be retrieved by theoperating device, and a storage vessel arranged at the storage locationand containing the drug combination, may be gripped and transferred to avessel receptacle of an unloading device. The storage vessel transferredto the vessel receptacle may be emptied onto the transport device andthe drug combination may be transported by the transport device to aremoval location of a delivery station. The removal location may also becleared for the removal of the drug combination upon instructions from acontrol device coupled to the delivery station.

Which steps a user needs to perform in order for the control device toprovide instructions to release the drug combination depends on whethera qualified or simple user is operating the delivery station. Therelevant details are set forth below.

As stated above, the function and construction of the storage device ofthe picking device is partially known. In order to preserve theconventional functionality upon the transfer of a storage vessel to theunloading device, in one or more embodiments the vessel receptacle maybe arranged prior to the transfer of the storage vessel in such a mannerthat the operating device may transfer the storage vessels using“conventional” stocking movements (see above). In this way, the transferof a storage vessel to the vessel receptacle may be performedanalogously to a stocking operation of a storage vessel in a storagelocation. Additional, and thus time-consuming, movement sequences of thecontrol unit are not necessary. Likewise, a structural adjustment isalso unnecessary.

The storage vessel may be emptied by the vessel receptacle being tipped,such that drug combinations fall onto the transport device. Acorresponding tipping process may be triggered in a particularly simplemanner, without the need to include complicated mechanical devices inthe unloading device or on the storage vessel itself.

In order to avoid the need to move the transport device into the storagedevice to receive the drug combinations, the vessel receptacle may bemoved prior to the emptying of the storage vessel from a park positioninto an emptying position. In the park position, the vessel receptaclemay collect a storage vessel to be emptied. The park position istherefore comparable to a storage location. In the emptying position,the storage vessel may be emptied onto the transport device (e.g., bytipping). This emptying position may be selected such that the transportdevice may be guided parallel to an outer wall of the storage location,by way of example.

After the storage vessel is emptied, it must be removed from theunloading device. By way of example, it may be temporarily stored in afree storage location of the storage device by the operating device.However, this would waste precious storage location. Therefore, in oneor more embodiments, a storage vessel may be transferred into a vesselcollection device or a vessel provision device after the emptying. Inthe vessel collection device, emptied storage vessels are temporarilystored until they are removed by an operator from the vessel collectiondevice. In contrast, the emptied storage vessels may be continuouslyprovided to the operator by the vessel provision device, because thevessel provision device may be configured in such a manner that asection of the same may be accessed from outside of the storage device.The manner in which the emptied storage vessels are moved into and/or tothe vessel collection device or the vessel provision device depends onthe arrangement of these relative to the unloading device. If the vesselcollection device, or at least a section of the vessel provision device,is arranged below the unloading device, the emptied storage vessels maybe transferred by gravity through a base opening of the unloadingdevice. The same applies to the vessel provision device.

As stated above, the retrieval process begins when a drug combination tobe retrieved is identified. The manner in which this identification iscarried out can also, as indicated above, depend on the type of the userof a delivery station. Thus, a drug combination to be retrieved may beidentified by personal data of a user being provided as theidentification data and evaluated. On the basis of the personal data, adrug combination assigned to a user for retrieval may then be determinedby the control device.

If a user is assigned several drug combinations, the user may be giventhe opportunity to select the drug combinations to be delivered. Thiscan be done, for example, by the user interface displaying on a displaydevice the plurality of drug combinations available for the user, andthe user selecting the drug combinations which should be dispensed. Thenon-dispensed drug combinations then remain in the picking device. Byway of example, it may happen that only a portion of the drugcombinations is dispensed, either for cost reasons or because a user isassigned drug combinations for a family member who is a minor and who isnot present for a longer period of time. Here, storage in a storagedevice specially designated for such a case may be more appropriate.

Once a drug combination to be retrieved has been identified, thedispensing process commences. Over the course of this dispensingprocess, the drug combination is transported to a removal location of adelivery station. If the user is a simple user, this simple usergenerally is required to pay for the drug combination or drugcombinations. The drug combinations are therefore only released by thecontrol device once the payment process has been successfully completed.However, it may happen that the user is not willing, or simply is notable, to make a payment. Since, however, the drug combination assignedto the user is already in the removal location, it is necessary in sucha case that it be removed from the removal location. For this purpose,the delivery station may have special components by which it is possibleto remove drug combinations from the removal location that have not beenremoved.

However, the steps of the retrieval method following drug retrieval mayonly be carried out if all user actions associated with the retrievalhave been performed successfully. The user actions mentioned above canbe country-specific, or can be pre-specified by the drug combinationbeing retrieved, by way of example. For example, it may happen that drugcombinations require payment, or are free of charge, depending on theincluded drug combination. In addition, an image capture of the user maybe required prior to the dispensing of a drug combination, or the usermay be required to leave an electronic signature, wherein the userinterface may furnish special processes for all national requirements.With the method detailed above, it is possible to prevent commencementof the retrieval of a drug combination before all the necessary useractions have been performed successfully.

As already explained above, it may happen (e.g., in the case of amalfunction of the storage device) that storage vessels are displaced byoperating personnel. In order to prevent the dispensing of potentiallyincorrect drug combinations, a drug combination arranged in a storagevessel may be identified with a second identifier prior to the emptyingof the storage vessel, and the storage vessel may only be emptied if theidentified drug combination corresponds to the drug combinationidentified with the identification data.

If the identified drug combination does not correspond to the drugcombination identified by the identification data, the same may beremoved from the stock of the storage device. This stock removal may beaccomplished, for example, by the storage vessel being conveyed to avessel return device, which typically serves to remove expired drugcombinations from stock. The drug combination may also be moved not ontothe transport device, but rather onto a special return device via whichthe drug combination is removed from the stock of the picking deviceand/or the storage device.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of one or more embodiments of a pickingdevice. The picking device 1 includes a central storage device 2 withtwo opposite rows of shelves 10, between which an alley 15 is formed, inwhich an operating device 20 coupled to a control unit (not shown) isarranged in a manner allowing movement horizontally and vertically. Theoperating device 20 includes a gripper 21 that can rotate about avertical axis of rotation, such that the two opposite rows of shelves 10may be served with one gripper 21. With the gripper 21, storage vessels3 are moved to storage locations and removed from the same when a drugcombination arranged in a storage vessel 3 is being dispensed. Anyembodiment known to a person skilled in the art, with which rectangularbulk goods can be stocked and retrieved, can be considered as a gripper21. In the illustrated embodiment, a jaw gripper with jaws 27, a contactsurface 28 for storage vessels 3, and a sliding mechanism (e.g., pushingdevice) 29 is used. For the retrieval function, storage vessels 3 aregrasped by the jaws 27 and drawn onto the contact surface 28. For themovement of storage vessels 3 to storage locations or to the vesselreceptacle (see the following figures), a storage vessel 3 isaccordingly pushed by the pushing device 29.

Each row of shelves 10 includes multiple shelves 11 (see FIGS. 3 and 4)extending in a plane, with multiple storage locations 5 for storagevessels 3, 3′, 3″. The storage locations 5 are not physically separatedfrom one another on the shelves 11. As such, there are—so tospeak—“virtual” storage locations. As can be seen in FIG. 1, storagevessels 3, 3′, 3″ of different sizes can be stored on the rows ofshelves 10. The storage devices 2 which are used can be specified to thecontrol device 100 (see FIG. 5), for example, when the drug combinationis identified. This may also be determined by the operating device 20,by way of example, when the storage vessel 3, 3′, 3″ is removed from thestocking device (see the following figures). Finally, special sensorscan be included which determine the size of the storage vessel 3, 3′,3″. As long as storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ of only one size are used, theabove measures are unnecessary.

In an one or more embodiments, the storage locations may be formed onL-shaped struts attached to rear walls, for example, wherein the storagevessels are then usually stored between and/or on two struts. In such acase, it may be necessary to position the struts according to the sizeof the storage vessels, such that if differently sized storage vesselsare used, differently designed storage areas are necessary. However, interms of the stocking or retrieval of the storage vessels, there are nofurther differences.

Drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″ are arranged in the storage vessels 3, 3′,3″. A drug combination is a combination of at least one drug portion,wherein a drug combination also includes multiple drug portions ofseveral different types of drugs which are then arranged, for example,in multiple vials which in turn are arranged, for example, in a pouch onwhich an identifier is then affixed. Thus, the drug combination can beuniquely identified. Regardless of the form and the packaging of thedrug combination, it is important that it includes an identifier,wherein the control device can identify each drug combination using theidentifier. Several drug combinations may also be arranged in onestorage vessel. A drug combination may be assigned to a user based onpersonal identity, as set forth in detail further below in thedescription of the method.

The picking device shown in FIG. 1 further includes a transport device50 with a first transporter 51 and two second transporters 52. The firsttransporter 51 may be a conveyor belt, by way of example, which isarranged in the illustrated embodiment parallel to the lower row ofshelves, outside the housing of the storage device. On each of its ends,the first transporter 51 transitions into a second transporter 52, whichmay likewise be designed as a conveyor belt, and which may be in turncoupled to a delivery station 80. Due to the interaction of the firsttransporter 51 with the two second transporters 52, the firsttransporter 51 may be moved in two directions, as is indicated by thearrow.

Each delivery station 80 includes a removal location 81 as well as auser interface 82, which will be described in detail with reference tosubsequent figures.

The storage device 2 may be coupled via an unloading device 60 to thetransport device 50 in such a manner that drug combinations may betransferred by the unloading device 60 from the storage vessels 3, 3′,3″ to the transport device 50. This is described in greater detail belowwith reference to subsequent figures.

In one or more embodiments as shown in FIG. 2, the storage device 2 mayinclude, in addition to the elements described above, a vessel provisiondevice 130 which is constructed inside a row of shelves 10, whereinemptied storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ may be transferred to the same. Thevessel provision device 130 may convey the emptied storage vessels 3,3′, 3″ in such a manner that they may be removed from outside thestorage device 2. By way of example, the vessel provision device 130 maybe designed as a kind of slide, such that emptied storage vessels 3, 3′,3″ set down by the operating device 20 may be conveyed by gravity to aremoval location 81 that is accessible from outside the storage device2.

Moreover, the picking device 1 may include a vessel return device 140for drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″ which were not requested within apredetermined time frame. The vessel return device 140 may be designedto correspond to the vessel provision device 130, with the differencethat storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ still filled with drug combinations 4,4′, 4″ are returned via the vessel return device 140.

The picking device 1, according to one or more embodiments, may havethree delivery stations 80, 80′, 80″, wherein the delivery stations 80,80″ may arranged inside a schematically-indicated building 90. Thedelivery station 80′ may be arranged outside the building 90, or atleast is accessible from outside of the building 90, and may be designedas a “drive-through station”, by way of example. The three deliverystations 80, 80′, 80″ are coupled to the storage device 2 via thetransport device 50 in such a manner that drug combinations can besupplied from the storage device to each of the delivery stations 80,80′, 80″. Here, the delivery station 80″ may be directly connected tothe first transporter 51 constructed parallel to the storage device 2,whereas the delivery stations 80, 80′ may be connected by second andthird transporters 52, 53. To selectively convey drug combinations 4,4′, 4″ to the delivery station 80 on the second transporter 52, adirecting element 54 may be functionally assigned to the secondtransporter 52, and may be moved into the path of movement of thetransporter 52, thereby conveying the drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″ ontothe third transporter 53 assigned to the delivery station 80. Thetransporters 51, 52, 53 may be designed as simple conveyor belts, by wayof example, wherein the transporter 51, as already indicated in FIG. 1,may be moved in two directions to be able to reach the stations 80, 80′,80″.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the interior of the storage device 2, withtwo opposite rows of shelves 10, with multiple superimposed shelves 11each extending in a plane, and arranged behind dividers 14. FIG. 3particularly shows the design and arrangement of the operating device 20inside an alley (e.g., lane) 15 between the opposite rows of shelves 10.The operating device 20 may include a gripper 21, which may be moved ona vertical guide 22 by a drive 23. The vertical guide 22 may be moved onhorizontal guides 24 by a drive 25, such that the operating device 20and the gripper 21 may be moved horizontally and vertically within thealley 15 on the vertical and horizontal guides 22, 24. The gripper 21may rotate about a vertical axis of rotation, indicated by C. As can beseen in FIG. 3, front loading edges 12 of the rows of shelves 10 and/orthe shelves 11, facing the alley 15, may be constructed in parallel,perpendicular to each other, such that it is not necessary, given acorresponding design of the operating device 20, to move the same in theZ-direction. All storage locations 5 on the shelves 11 may be reachedwithout a movement of the gripper 21 in the Z-direction. The depth ofthe storage locations 5 is defined via the distance of the front edge 12of the shelves 11 and/or the rows of shelves 10 from the rear wall 13.Provided that the distance between the front edge 12 and rear wall 13permits, two storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ may be stored one behind theother, as long as the potential need to execute a swap of stock is takeninto account in cases where only the rear storage vessel 3, 3′, 3″ willbe retrieved.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the storage device 2, wherein the operatingdevice 20 can be seen in the alley 15. In the top view according to FIG.5, one shelf 11 is visible for each of the rows of shelves 10, with eachshelf 11 separated by multiple dividers 14. Two storage vessels 3, 3′,3″ may be arranged on the upper shelf 11, each with one drug combination4, 4′, 4″. As FIG. 4 shows particularly clearly, the end face of thegripper 21 may be aligned with the front edge 12 of the shelf 11, thatis, between the shelf 11 and the contact surface 28 of the gripper 21,only a very small gap exists. If the gripper 21 rotates around theC-axis as arranged in FIG. 3, the storage locations 5 of the “lower” rowof shelves 10 can be served accordingly.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a combination storage device 2and transport device 50. In the illustration shown in FIG. 5, thestorage device 2 is only partially shown, particularly so as toillustrate the components arranged within the storage device 2. Thestorage device 2 in turn may include two parallel rows of shelves 10,between which an alley 15 is formed. For clarity, the shelves 11 and thedividers 14 are not shown. These correspond to the components describedwith reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 5 shows that the storage device 2may include a stocking device 30 which partially protrudes from thestorage device 2 on the front end face thereof. The stocking device 30includes a stock section 31 on which storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ filledwith drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″ may be placed. Once the storage vessels3, 3′, 3″ are placed on the stock section 31, they will be moved intothe storage device 2 by a transport assembly 32, which extends into thestorage device 2 and which is usually designed as a conveyor belt. Thestorage vessels 3, 3′, 3″—may then be removed by the operating device 20and conveyed to a storage location 5.

A first identification device 40 may be functionally assigned to thestocking device 30 and may identify a drug combination 4, 4′, 4″ beforetransport into the storage device 2. For this purpose, the firstidentification device 40 may be a hand-held identification reader 42, byway of example, with which operating personnel identify the drugcombination to be stocked. After the identification, the drugcombination 4, 4′, 4″ is placed in a storage vessel 3, 3′, 3″ and movedinto the storage device 2 by the transport assembly 32. Alternatively oradditionally, the first identification device 40 may include a secondidentification reader 41, by which a drug combination 4, 4′, 4″ arrangedin storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ can be automatically identified.

The storage device 2, as shown in FIG. 5, may further include a controldevice 100 coupled to the stocking device 30, to the firstidentification device 40, and to the operating device 20, and performsthe control of these as well as the entire stocking and retrievalprocess. It is not essential that the control device 100 be arrangedinside the storage device 2. The control device 100 may also be arrangedoutside of the storage device 2 for maintenance purposes. The onlyessential feature is a coupling of the control device 100 to theaforementioned components.

A display 110 may be arranged on the end face of the storage device 2,wherein via the display 110 the operator can see information relating tothe storage device 2 and/or drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″ to be stocked orretrieved. The display device 110 may also be designed such that it issimultaneously an input device (e.g., a touch screen). A delivery device120 may also be arranged on the end face of the storage device 2,wherein drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″ may be delivered to a user.

In FIG. 5, the unloading device 60 is also arranged in the upper sectionof the “left” row of shelves 10, extending from inside the storagedevice 2 to the outside, specifically above a transporter of thetransport device 50, wherein the transporter in the shown embodimentextends parallel to the storage device 2.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of FIG. 5, wherein this figure particularlyshows that the transport medium 32 of the stocking device 30 extendsthrough the storage device 2. A corresponding design is not essential,but facilitates the removal of storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″, on the onehand, while simultaneously creating a temporary buffer for storagevessels 3, 3′, 3″ which have been identified and moved into the storagedevice 2, but have not yet been placed in a storage location 5.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the “left” region in accordance with FIG.5. In particular, FIG. 7 shows how the transport device 50 is arrangedwith respect to the storage device 2. Of the storage device 2, only theleft row of shelves 10, the operating device 20, and the unloadingdevice 60 are indicated.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, the unloading device 60 extends from insidethe storage device 2 to the outside, namely in such a way that drugcombinations 4, 4′, 4″ may be transferred to the first transporter 51 ofthe transport device 50, the first transporter 51 having a cover 55. AsFIG. 7 further shows, the front edge 68 of the unloading station 60 sitsflush with the front edge 12 of the row of shelves 10, such that theunloading device 60 may be loaded with storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ by“conventional” loading and retrieval movements of the operating device20. For this purpose, the unloading device 60 includes a vesselreceptacle 64 which can be moved in inside the unloading device 60towards the transport device 50, wherein the final position of thismovement is hidden in FIG. 7 by the cladding 61 of the unloading device60.

A vessel collection device 70 may be arranged below the outer section ofthe unloading device 60 and may have an access opening 73 through whichemptied storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ collected in the vessel collectiondevice 70 may be removed. The vessel collection device 70 is describedin more detail with reference to subsequent figures.

FIG. 8 shows a detailed view of a combination unloading device 60 andtransport device 50, wherein a section of a vessel collection device 70is indicated below the section of the unloading device 60 that isarranged outside the storage device 2. As shown in FIG. 8, the firsttransporter 51 of the transport device 50 is arranged perpendicular to adischarge end face 69 of a frame structure 62 of the unloading device60, wherein tipping receptacles 63 for vessel receptacles 64 can bemoved in the unloading device 60 are may be arranged in this dischargeend face 69. The vessel receptacle 64 has two tipping projections (notshown in this figure) which cooperate to tip the storage vessel 3, 3′,3″ at the front side of the unloading device 60 with the tippingreceptacles 63. In order to prevent drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″ tippedfrom storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ onto the transport device 50 from fallingfrom the first transporter 51, the transport device 50 and/or the firsttransporter have lateral guides 56.

FIG. 9 shows the vessel collection device 70 arranged below the sectionof the unloading device 60 that is arranged outside of the storagedevice 2 in greater detail. This includes a vertical, elongatedreceiving space 71 in which multiple storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ arearranged on a vertically-movable vessel support 72. Here, the emptiedstorage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ are transferred through an opening in thebottom of the frame structure 62 to the vessel collection device 70,wherein the transfer process is described in more detail in a subsequentfigure.

FIGS. 10a and 10b show detailed views of the unloading device 60. Thetwo figures differ in that, in FIG. 10a , a storage vessel 3, 3′, 3″ isarranged in the vessel receptacle 64. As can be seen in the two figures,the vessel receptacle 64 is able to move in the Y-direction in theunloading device 60, and for this purpose, a guide 66 extending in theY-direction is constructed in the same.

The unloading device 60 shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b is designed as atipping station. For this purpose, the unloading device 60 has twotipping receptacles 63 on the unloading end face 69, which faces thetransport device (not illustrated), wherein tipping projections 65 ofthe vessel receptacle 64 engage in the same. As soon as the tippingprojections 65 engage in the tipping receptacles 63 and the vesselreceptacle 64 is moved to the discharge end face 69, the tippingmovement of the vessel receptacle 64, and thus of the storage vessel 3,3′, 3″, is initiated due to the shape of the tipping receptacles 63. Sothat the storage vessel 3, 3′, 3″ does not slip or fall from the vesselreceptacle 64 when this tipping movement is executed, and during themovement of the vessel receptacle 64 unloading station 60 as such, aretaining device 67 may temporarily fix the storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″,where the retaining device 67 may be released after the tipping processhas been executed, for example. A second identifying device 45 may alsobe provided on the unloading device 60.

FIG. 10b shows below the vessel receptacle 64 a vessel placement area64″ with an end face 68. Storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ are set down in thisvessel placement area 64″ before they are fixed by the retaining device67 of the vessel receptacle 64 for transport. The end face 68 of thevessel placement area 64″ is, seen vertically, on a level with theleading edge 12 of the shelves 11. As such, the vessel placement area64″ is designed like a storage location, such that storage vessels 3,3′, 3″ may be placed on the vessel placement area 64″ with the samestock movements which are used to place them on conventional storagelocations 5.

FIGS. 11a-11c show different views of a combination unloading device 60and vessel collection device 70. In these figures as well, the vesselcollection device 70 is arranged below the section of the unloadingdevice 60, which is arranged outside of the storage device 2, such thatstorage vessels 3, 3′, 3″, after being emptied, can be simplytransferred down to the vessel collection device 70.

In FIGS. 11a-11c , the vessel receptacle 64 is shown in its emptyingposition, in which it is moved from the park position which was shown inFIG. 10a . As can be seen particularly in FIG. 11a , the vesselreceptacle 64 may be tipped by an interaction of tipping projections(not shown) and tipping receptacles 63, in such a manner that itprojects beyond the transport device (not shown). As a result, the drugcombinations 4, 4′, 4″ arranged in storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ may betransferred onto the transport device by the tipping movement.

An ejection device 150 may be functionally assigned to the unloadingstation 60. This includes an ejector 152 with which drug combinations 4,4′, 4″ may be ejected from a storage vessel 3, 3′, 3″ through an openingin the same. A support 151 may connect the ejector 152 with the framestructure 62, for example. A detailed description of a storage vessel 3,3′, 3″ that may be used with an ejection device 150, and of the loadingand unloading process, is provided in FIGS. 13a -15 b.

FIGS. 12a and 12b show plan views of the unloading device 60, whereinFIG. 12a shows the vessel receptacle 64 in the park position, and FIG.12b shows the same in the emptying position. FIG. 12a shows that thestorage vessel 3, 3′, 3″ is fixed by the retaining device 67 of thevessel receptacle 64 for transport.

As can be seen in both figures, the base surface of the frame structure62 has an opening 74, and the vessel collection device 70 may bearranged below this opening 74. In the two figures, the storage vessel3, 3′, 3″ stored in the vessel collection device 70 is seen through theopening 74 below the unloading device 60.

To convey an emptied storage vessel to the vessel collection device 70after it has been emptied, the vessel receptacle 64 may be moved on theguides 66 over the opening 74 in such a manner that the storage vessel3, 3′, 3″ held by the retaining device 67 is arranged over the storagevessels 3, 3′, 3″ in the vessel collection device 70 and/or the opening74. Then, the retaining device 67 may be opened, that is the fixation ofthe storage vessel 3, 3′, 3″ in the vessel receptacle may be released,such that the emptied storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ fall through the opening74 onto the underlying stack of already-emptied storage vessels 3, 3′,3″. In this way, the emptied storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ may be conveyedto the vessel collection device 70 particularly easily and quickly.Also, a manner of slide may be constructed below the section of theunloading device 60 that is constructed outside of the storage device 2,conveying emptied storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ to a differently-configuredvessel collection device.

As mentioned above, the storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ may be adapted to thesize of the drug combination 4, 4′, 4″ to achieve the optimum storagecapacity of the picking device 1. Depending on the exact configuration,the storage vessels 3, 3′, 3″ may also be constructed not with acompletely cylindrical shape with respect to their height, but rathermay have a constriction at the base to enable better stacking of thestorage vessels 3, 3′, 3″.

FIG. 13a shows multiple views of an embodiment of a storage vessel 300,having a lid which is able to open and close, realized by two hinged lidelements (301 a, 301 b) (see diagram at left), which can temporarilyrelease a discharge opening 310 through which drug combinations 4, 4′,4″ may be stocked in and retrieved from the storage vessels 300. Thecenter illustration of FIG. 13a shows the storage vessel 300 from theside, resting on a base surface 302, and having a drug combination 400shown in the interior. In the illustration at right, the base surface302 is visible from above and having two openings 303.

The terms “lid” and “base surface” have been selected only for thedescription of storage vessel 300. Whether the lid is up or down whenthe box is stocked depends on how the storage vessel 300 is placed onthe stocking device and how it is to be unloaded upon retrieval.

FIGS. 13b and 13c show schematic views of the storage vessel 300 of FIG.13a during a filling process and an unloading process, wherein eachfigure shows three illustrated views. In the illustration at left inFIG. 13b , the storage vessel 300 is shown from one end face, resting onthe base surface 302. In the center illustration, the cover elements 301a, 301 b are open and a drug combination 400 has been inserted. In theillustration at right, the cover elements 301 a, 301 b have been closedagain.

Depending on the unloading device 60 and the design of the lid elements301 a, 301 b, storage vessels 300 may be stored lying on the basesurface 302. Alternatively, the storage vessels 300 may be rotated afterthe filling, and stocked lying on the lid. If they are stocked lying onthe lid, the base surface 302 may be completely or partly dispensedwith. The storage vessel 300 is then designed like a drawer with areleasable floor. For the insertion of a drug combination 400, thestorage vessel 300 may then be placed on the closed “lid”, andaccordingly stocked in this manner as well.

For the retrieval of the drug combination 400 from the storage vessel300, the lid may be oriented downward, as is shown schematically in theillustration at left in FIG. 13c . For unloading, the “lid” (now thebase) may be opened. Due to gravity, the drug combination 400 then fallsout of the storage vessel 300. Optionally, the drug combination 400 maybe ejected (should the same have become lodged) with a plunger 152 whichis guided, for example, through the openings 303. After the unloading,the lid elements 301 a, 301 b are closed once again.

Corresponding means can be included on the storage vessel 300 itself forthe opening/closing of the lid elements 301 a, 301 b. Alternatively,corresponding means can be included in the unloading device 60.

FIGS. 14a, 14b and 15a, 15b show schematic views of a gravity unloadingstation 600 at different stages of the unloading process. Gravityunloading station 600 may have one or more guides 601 for moving thestorage vessel 300. In FIG. 14b , showing the embodiment schematicallyfrom above, the storage vessel 300 is in a park position as alreadydescribed with reference to the above figures. The storage vessel 300has been placed in this location by the operating device 20.

In FIG. 14b , the storage vessel 300 is in the unloading position. Inthis position, the lid elements 301 a, 301 b are oriented downwardly, ascan be seen in FIG. 15b , which shows the embodiment schematically fromthe front. Whether the storage vessel 300 had been stocked in thisorientation, or has been accordingly oriented by the unloading station60, is not essential to the disclosure.

After the storage vessel 300 is moved into the unloading position (FIG.14b /15 a), the lid elements 301 a, 302 b are opened and the one or moreplungers 152 (not shown) are moved through openings 303 to assist thegravity-induced unloading of the drug combination 400 (if this isnecessary). Instead of the plunger 152, compressed air could be used,for example. The unloaded drug combination 400 falls onto the transportdevice 50 and is moved to a delivery station 80.

FIG. 16 shows a delivery station 80 of the picking device 1. Thedelivery station 80 includes an unloading location 81 and a userinterface 82 with multiple components 83-88. Specifically, a receiptprinter 83, an RFID reader 84 (for contactless payment), a card feedingmeans 85 for a conventional card payment, a PIN pad 86 for inputting anumerical code, a bar code scanner 87, and a combined input/displaymeans 88 (e.g., a touch screen). A document scanner (for example for anidentification document) and/or a prescription scanner may also beincluded (not shown).

The aforementioned user interface 82 may include only some of the abovecomponents, wherein the exact design of a user interface 82 depends oncountry specific requirements and the intended use of the deliverystation 80 (simple/qualified user). As such, it may be necessary, forexample, for the user interface 82 to also have an image capture device(camera) used to take a photo of the user picking up the drugcombination 4, 4′, 4″. Also, all the components for making a payment maybe omitted, specifically in cases where drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″, 400are provided free of charge. The aforementioned combination ofcomponents of the user interface 82 is therefore merely exemplary andillustrative.

FIGS. 17a-17c show lateral sectional views of the delivery station 80,wherein FIG. 17a to FIG. 17c show the release procedure. The deliverystation 80 includes a receiving space 91 coupled via a connector 92 to atransporter (not shown) of the transport device 50. The base 93 of thereceiving space 91 may be designed as a releasable flap. Once drugcombinations 4, 4′, 4″, 400 have been conveyed to the receiving space 91via the transporter, the receiving space 91 may be opened by pivotingthe base 93, wherein the drug combination 4, 4′, 4″, 400 arranged in thereceiving space 91 is transferred into a removal space 94 during thisprocess. Such a releasing of the base 93 of the receiving space 91occurs upon the instruction of the control device 100, specifically onceall authentication processes associated with the dispensing process forthe drug combination 4, 4′, 4″, 400 have been completed (see thefollowing description of the method).

The delivery station 80 further includes a return space (not shown) intowhich drug combinations 4, 4′, 4″, 400 may be transferred if theauthentication process is not successfully completed by the user.

In the following, preferred embodiments of the method according to theinvention for the retrieval of drug combinations arranged in storagevessels in a picking device are described.

In the method according to the invention for the retrieval of drugcombinations arranged in storage vessels, a drug combination to beretrieved is first identified, specifically by a user providingidentification data which uniquely identify a drug combination to beretrieved.

In the event (described below) that the user is a “simple” user, thatis, an end customer and/or the addressee of a drug combination, theidentification data which identifies a drug combination can be the nameof the user, by way of example. The description provided above givesfurther details on the identification data.

On the basis of the identification data identifying a drug combination,the storage location of the storage vessel in which the identified drugcombination is arranged is determined.

In the event that a user has been assigned more than one drugcombination, these are may be dispensed together. The user may also begiven the option to select, at the delivery station, which drugcombinations assigned to him/her will be dispensed. In the followingdescription, it is assumed that a user is only assigned one drugcombination.

After the storage location of the storage vessel inside the storagedevice of the picking device has been determined, the operating deviceis moved to the storage location assigned to the drug combination to beretrieved and the storage vessel is gripped by the gripper of theoperating device. The gripper may include pivotable jaws 27 with which astorage vessel can be pulled from a storage location onto the contactsurface of the gripper. Once a storage vessel has been gripped by agripper and transferred thereto, the operating device and/or the gripperof the operating device is moved to an unloading device 60 and thestorage vessel is transferred to a vessel receptacle 64 of the unloadingdevice. The storage vessel may be arranged by the gripper on the vesselplacement surface 64″ of the unloading device 60, and fixed by theretaining device 67 of the vessel receptacle. The vessel receptacle mayalso have a depression, for example, into which the storage vessel ismoved.

After the storage vessel containing the drug combination to be retrievedhas been transferred to the vessel receptacle, the storage vessel isemptied onto the transport device 50. This may be performed by thevessel receptacle being moved out of a park position in which thestorage vessel to be emptied is collected into an emptying position inwhich the storage vessel is emptied (in this case, by tipping).

After the drug combination to be retrieved has been transferred to thetransport device, the drug combination is transported by the transportdevice to a removal location of a delivery station. The removal locationis then released upon instructions from a control device coupled to thedelivery station, such that the user can remove the drug combination.The release of the removal location is only initiated by the controldevice if the user has met all authentication requirements. These aregoverned by national regulations and requirements placed on the drugcombination as such. In some countries, a photo of the end user pickingup the drug combination may also be made before the same is released. Itmay be necessary for a document identifying the user, such as anidentity card or a passport, to be read to verify the user's identity. Aperson skilled in the art is aware of numerous other options forenabling and meeting national requirements with regard to the dispensingof drugs.

In the event that the retrieval procedure has been initiated by the userbut a step in the authentication has not been completed successfully(e.g., the payment), the drug combination arranged at the removallocation 81 may be removed from the removal location so that thedelivery station can be used by other users. By way of example, for thispurpose, the drug combination may be moved from the removal locationinto a return space. The retrieval procedure may be initiated only onceall of the authentication steps have been performed successfully by theuser. In such a case, it is generally unnecessary to make provisions fora removal of a drug combination from the removal location, because thedrug combinations are only conveyed to the removal location if all theauthentication steps have been successfully carried out.

An advantage of the picking device and the method according to thedisclosure is that the picking device can comprise a multiple deliverystations which can be arranged in different spatial configurations. Assuch, it can be contemplated, for example, that the picking device hasthree delivery stations, wherein one is used by a qualified user such asa pharmacist, and the two remaining delivery stations are used by simpleusers. In this case, one of the two delivery stations is positionedwithin the premises of a pharmacy, and the remaining delivery station ispositioned outside the premises in which the storage device of thepicking device is arranged. Such a delivery station arranged outside thepremises of the storage device may be designed in the form of adrive-through station, by way of example.

The storage vessels emptied onto the transport device may be conveyed toa vessel collection device, which may be constructed below the unloadingdevice, for example. By way of example, the retaining device of thevessel receptacle may be released for this purpose, such that thestorage vessel can fall due to gravity through an opening in a basesurface of the unloading station into a storage space of the vesselcollection device. A slide may be functionally assigned to the unloadingdevice, wherein the emptied storage vessels may be conveyed by saidslide either to the vessel collection device or to a vessel provisiondevice. The emptied storage vessels may be moved back into the parkposition after the emptying process, gripped by the operating device,and either conveyed to the vessel provision device or simply moved to anempty storage location. Which of the aforementioned options are carriedout depends on how high the retrieval requirements are.

The present disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the various aspects described herein. The disclosureprovides various examples of the subject technology, and the subjecttechnology is not limited to these examples. For example, any or all ofthe elements or components in this disclosure may by combined indifferent ways. Various modifications to these aspects will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles definedherein may be applied to other aspects.

A reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “oneand only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.”Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one ormore. Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include the feminine andneuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. Headings andsubheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit thesubject technology.

The word “exemplary” or the term “for example” is used herein to mean“serving as an example or illustration.” Any aspect or design describedherein as “exemplary” or “for example” is not necessarily to beconstrued as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Inone aspect, various alternative configurations and operations describedherein may be considered to be at least equivalent.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” preceding a series ofitems, with the term “or” to separate any of the items, modifies thelist as a whole, rather than each item of the list. The phrase “at leastone of” does not require selection of at least one item; rather, thephrase allows a meaning that includes at least one of any one of theitems, and/or at least one of any combination of the items, and/or atleast one of each of the items. By way of example, the phrase “at leastone of A, B, or C” may refer to: only A, only B, or only C; or anycombination of A, B, and C.

A phrase such as an “aspect” does not imply that such aspect isessential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies to allconfigurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to anaspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations.An aspect may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspectmay refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. A phrase such as an“embodiment” does not imply that such embodiment is essential to thesubject technology or that such embodiment applies to all configurationsof the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an embodiment mayapply to all embodiments, or one or more embodiments. An embodiment mayprovide one or more examples. A phrase such an embodiment may refer toone or more embodiments and vice versa. A phrase such as a“configuration” does not imply that such configuration is essential tothe subject technology or that such configuration applies to allconfigurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to aconfiguration may apply to all configurations, or one or moreconfigurations. A configuration may provide one or more examples. Aphrase such a configuration may refer to one or more configurations andvice versa.

In one aspect, unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values,ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that areset forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow,are approximate, not exact. In one aspect, they are intended to have areasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which theyrelate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain.

It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps,operations or processes disclosed is an illustration of exemplaryapproaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that thespecific order or hierarchy of steps, operations or processes may berearranged. Some of the steps, operations or processes may be performedsimultaneously. Some or all of the steps, operations, or processes maybe performed automatically, without the intervention of a user. Theaccompanying method claims, if any, present elements of the varioussteps, operations or processes in a sample order, and are not meant tobe limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the variousaspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or latercome to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expresslyincorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed bythe claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to bededicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure isexplicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construedunder the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112 (f) unless the element isexpressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of amethod claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.”Furthermore, to the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the likeis used, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar tothe term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as atransitional word in a claim.

The Title, Background, Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings andAbstract of the disclosure are hereby incorporated into the disclosureand are provided as illustrative examples of the disclosure, not asrestrictive descriptions. It is submitted with the understanding thatthey will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Inaddition, in the Detailed Description, it can be seen that thedescription provides illustrative examples and the various features aregrouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than allfeatures of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The followingclaims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with eachclaim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects describedherein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with thelanguage claims and to encompass all legal equivalents. Notwithstanding,none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails tosatisfy the requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 101, 102, or 103, nor should theybe interpreted in such a way.

What is claimed is:
 1. A picking device for dispensing drug combinations arranged in storage vessels, comprising: a storage device; a stocking device configured to move the storage vessels into the storage device; an operating device configured to remove the storage vessels from the stocking device; an identifying device for identifying the drug combinations; a delivery station; and a transport device configured to transfer drug combinations from the storage device to the delivery station, wherein one or more of the stocking device, the operating device, the identifying device, the delivery station and the transport device are coupled to a control device.
 2. The picking device of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises a delivery device arranged at least partially within a radius of action of the operating device and which is accessible from outside of the storage device.
 3. The picking device of claim 1, further comprising a vessel provision device accessible from outside the storage device and configured for emptied storage vessels.
 4. The picking device of claim 1, further comprising at least two delivery stations configured for different types of access for different users.
 5. The picking device of claim 4, wherein one of the delivery stations is configured to be operated from outside of a building in which the storage device is arranged.
 6. The picking device of claim 1, further comprising an unloading device coupling the storage device to the transport device.
 7. The picking device of claim 6, wherein the unloading device comprises a vessel receptacle having a design corresponding to that of a storage location, such that the storage vessels are configured to be deposited by the operating device in the vessel receptacle.
 8. The picking device of claim 6, wherein the unloading device is a gravity unloading station by which drug combinations arranged in one of the storage vessels are transferred to the transport device at a receiving location via a discharge opening of the storage vessel.
 9. The picking device of claim 6, wherein the unloading device is a tipping station wherein drug combinations arranged in one of the storage vessels are tipped onto the transport device at a receiving location via a discharge opening of the storage vessel.
 10. The picking device of claim 6, wherein the unloading device comprises an ejection device configured to eject drug combinations arranged in one of the storage vessels onto the transport device at a receiving location via a discharge opening of the storage vessel.
 11. The picking device of claim 6, further comprising a second identifying device configured to identify drug combinations prior to emptying of the storage vessels in the unloading device.
 12. The picking device of claim 6, wherein the unloading device comprises a movable vessel receptacle configured to receive storage vessels to be emptied when in a park position, and to move the storage vessels to be emptied to an emptying position.
 13. The picking device of claim 12, wherein the movable vessel receptacle comprises a retaining device configured to hold storage vessels in a temporary manner for later detachment.
 14. The picking device of claim 6, wherein a vessel collection device is functionally assigned to the unloading device and is configured to receive emptied storage vessels from the unloading device.
 15. The picking device of claim 14, wherein the vessel collection device is arranged below the unloading device, wherein emptied storage vessels are configured to be fed to the vessel collection device by releasing a retaining device.
 16. The picking device of claim 14, wherein the vessel collection device comprises an access opening accessible from outside the storage device for removal of collected storage vessels.
 17. A method for retrieving drugs in a picking device, the method comprising: identifying a drug combination to be retrieved; moving an operating device to a storage location assigned to the identified drug combination; gripping, by the operating device, a storage vessel containing the drug combination; transferring the storage vessel to an unloading device; emptying the drug combination from the storage vessel onto a transport device; transporting, by the transport device, the drug combination to a removal location of a delivery station; and clearing the removal location of the drug combination upon instructions from a control device coupled to the delivery station.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the storage vessel is emptied by tipping a vessel receptacle of the unloading device so that drug combination falls onto the transport device, and wherein the storage vessel is moved following the emptying thereof into a vessel collection device or a vessel provision device.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein a drug combination arranged in a storage vessel is identified by an identifying device prior to the emptying of the storage vessel, and the storage vessel is only emptied onto the transport device if the identified drug combination corresponds to the drug combination identified by identification data.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein, if the identified drug combination does not correspond to the drug combination identified by the identification data, the same is removed from the stock of the storage device. 